Page 3 - Dining Out - May 29, 2022

Restaurant Insider with Anne Lee
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The Hanalei Dolphin 5-5016 Kuhio Hwy., Hanalei 808-826-6113 hanaleidolphin.com Note: All to-go options are available in the fish market
B’s Kitchen
4280 Kuhio Hwy. Ste. F100, Princeville 808-431-4325 bskitchenkauai.com
1. The Hanalei Dolphin has countless offerings at its fish market.
2. Fried Calamari (call for cost)
3. The Hanalei Dolphin prides itself on finding the freshest fish in town.
4. Hanalei Roll (call for cost)
5. Seared Ahi (call for cost)
BA: Unfortunately we are currently not offering lunch service on Sunday (before the pandemic we used to serve lunch daily). But the fish market offers a variety of sushi rolls, poke and poke bowls, sashimi, fish salad sandwiches and drinks, and we are inviting our customers to picnic at the tables in the garden by the Ha- nalei River.
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of the best sushi in town and learned more about her popular restaurant.
AL: There is also your namesake restaurant B’s Kitchen in Princev- ille, as well as the fish market. Can you tell me about those locations? BA: The fish market is in the back of the building adjacent to the restau- rant. This is where you can buy your favorite fish cut fresh daily, as well as other seafood, some meats, fish, salad and greens, sushi rolls and poke. There are fantastic grab-and- go options like a great selection of sushi rolls, poke bowls and fish salad sandwiches. We also offer cheeses and accoutrements and other food items and drinks for a one-stop shop. In 2017, we opened our other restau- rant in Princeville, a free-standing building part of the Princeville Shopping Center. B’s Kitchen was named after me, as my husband and friends thought it would give the lo- cation a warm and welcoming feel.
The wood-burning pizza oven sets the “barn glam” ambiance. The re- claimed wood elements of the in- terior give you a feeling of comfort as soon as you enter the building through the big red barn doors. The menu is Italian inspired and a lot of locally sourced foods are in- corporated in the menu (the flour and a few other key ingredients for our menu items are imported from Italy, though).
The building also shows a sign with the name Bar 56. We are hoping to create a hub for music and maybe some events in the future once gath- erings become more popular again.
AL: One of the best sushi experi- ences that I have ever had was at your restaurant. Tell me more about the sushi counter.
BA: To tell you the truth, I could eat sushi every day. A sushi bar and a fish market are a marriage made in heaven! We have the freshest fish
delivered daily by local fishermen, supplemented from the block in Honolulu. You can watch the whole fish being weighed and brought in. Every morning our master fish cutters do their magic. The sushi chefs basically go in and pick their favorite cuts to create. It’s like going to a candy store, and it doesn’t get any fresher than this. Our sushi chefs are enthusiastic and love what they do — that you can taste — and their creations look beautiful.
AL: With so many changes in the hospitality industry and people leaving the industry all together, how are you able to retain staff? BA: There are and have been so many changes and challenges for our industry over the last few years. The North Shore of Kauai has been experiencing multiple disasters since 2018 — flooding, landslides and then the unpredictable impact of COVID-19. We are so blessed to
have a strong and dedicated team — the “Dolphin family.” We could not have made it through these years without each other’s support. We all got each other’s backs.
AL: Is there anything happening for Father’s Day?
BA: We do not run a special menu, but our sushi chefs always come up with a wonderful omakase (the chef selects, creates and personalizes a special sushi roll or poke). Fathers love to come to the Dolphin on Fa- ther’s Day!
AL: What is the most popular drink and entrée on the menu?
BA: The most popular drink is the NoKaOi, our signature mai tai. Our most popular entrée is the Teriyaki Ahi. Sushi aficionados love the Flyin’ Hawaiian and the Hanalei Roll.
AL: Anything else you want to share?
RESERVATIONS
OpenTable 808.739.8811 HokusKahala.com
Best Restaurant, Critics’ Choice
HOKU’S AT KAHALA
Dinner: 5:30–8:30 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday Sunday TeiHoku Brunch: 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
Dining Out / May 29 - June 4, 2022 / 3